Yohannes on bass, Kevin Washington on drums, Thomas West ..s, and Dean Magraw on guitar.
Influences
Stevie Wonder, Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin, Commissioned, The Winans, The Clark Sisters, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Anita Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone,
Sweet Honey in the Rock, Zap Mama.
Sounds Like
The thoughtfulness and spirituality of India.Arie mixed with the ingenuity of Jill Scott.
Often lauded as one of the Twin Cities’ finest musical theater performers, Aimee K. Bryant has finally released her highly anticipated debut cd Becoming. The cd features performances and accompaniment by some of Minneapolis’ most sought after musicians: former New Power Generation member Tommy Barbarella; Kevin Washington of Moveable Feast; Darrold “Deevo” McCray; local jazz virtuoso Thomas West; “The Afrika Bambaataa of Minneapolis” Truth Maze; and pulling double duty on production and bass, Jeffrey Bailey partnered by Tribe of Millions’ guitarist and lead singer Malo. From 10,000 Lakes to the Great Lakes, Aimee returned home to record the remaining tracks with Motor City Hit Maker Frankie Fultz. Together they created and album that is eclectic, though rooted in soul.
How could expect less than soul from a girl child grown from the same soil that nurtured Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Winans, and The Clark Sisters? Steeped in gospel harmonies and black consciousness, the influence of the city and its music resonate in the poetry and delivery of Aimee’s compositions. Aimee learned her way around a recording studio by putting in time writing and singing background vocals for former Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis protégé Lance Alexander when Baby Honey Records was still in Minneapolis. When Baby Honey moved to Atlanta, Aimee stayed in Minne”snow”ta and continued to build on the foundation she had been laying in the Twin Cities’ Theater world; winning critical acclaim for playing everything from a down and out homeless heroin addict to the Queen of England. Aimee holds a B.F.A. with a concentration in musical Theatre from Howard University, also a Mecca of artistic accomplishment. While in D.C. she sung with the Howard Gospel Choir and did some background gigging for gospel heavy hitters Yolanda Adams, LaShun Pace, and BeBe and CeCe Winans. Then St. Paul came calling; promising full time acting work when Aimee graduated. Aimee has been filling the short gaps between plays with on-camera, voice over and jingle work, as well as gigging and recording with other musicians and spoken word artists. Her work is featured on the albums of Truth Maze, Sha Cage, Nazirah P. Mickey, and local folk legend Larry Long. Aimee has also become the voice of Yohannes Tona Band, an afro-funk jazz ensemble. Still, while acting and gigging on stages across the country and landing national commercials and jingles she was also turning her experiences into poetry and melody.
Aimee K. Bryant’s debut CD is exactly what it’s title implies; musically, lyrically, and thematically. Becoming captures the blossoming of this singer/songwriter like a storyboard of still photographs in nonlinear detail. From the raw and vulnerable, “Do You Know?” in which she pines after the attention of her love via simple duet with piano, to the controversial “No Nigga No”, a hip hop soul track that signifies a reversal of that sentiment; this cd runs the gamut of a woman’s emotional experiences with men. There are also the steamy “Kiss Me” and the sad and soulful ghetto love story “They Do (Everyday)” which round out the love songs. She starts and ends on a spiritual plane beginning the album with a beat box version of Sweet Honey in the Rock’s “We Are” – a song about our one-ness, and concluding with the title track “Becoming” in which she honors all the sad places in her history with gratitude, then beckons the listener to put her baggage down, celebrate life and “Dance”. This CD is a journey to self-love. Aimee’s voice is silk and sandpaper: smooth and sweet enough to make you think you could be listening to an angel, with a touch of grit that brings you back to the street. That combined with her catchy melodies and uncommonly intelligent lyrics make Becoming an instant indie classic.
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